Los Angeles prosecutors have filed misdemeanor charges against 515 people in a clampdown on 105 illegal marijuana businesses in the city – a move that could benefit legal MJ companies by helping to eliminate black-market rivals.

The businesses targeted include retail shops, delivery services and cultivation operations, of which nearly two dozen have closed since enforcement began in May, City Attorney Mike Feuer told reporters Friday, according to Los Angeles TV station KTLA.

Los Angeles prosecutors say the city attorney’s office will continue to target the hundreds of unlicensed businesses that remain.

The attempt to stamp out illegal MJ operators in L.A. is the latest in a string of enforcement actions throughout the state. Among them:

In Los Angeles, Police Chief Michel Moore said hundreds of illegal businesses remain, but the charges serve as a warning to others that the city will take action.

Moore said city prosecutors will use civil action to seize properties used in illegal marijuana businesses, KTLA reported.

“The Los Angeles Police Department will continue to assign resources, dedicate personnel to take enforcement action – criminal action – against unlicensed retailers, manufactures, cultivators who have not followed the rules,” Moore said, according to the TV station.

“We know there are still hundreds of these locations out there, and we will continue to identify and take action.”

Just like 1966, “What a field day for the heat”
(You youngsters can look up the rest of the Buffalo Springfield “For What Its Worth” lyrics) Effectively, marijuana is still illegal in and around Los Angeles. Local permission requirement breeds corruption and exorbitant, mostly non refundable, fees. At this time, the BCC is a failure.
However, like before, they can’t lock up everyone. They lost the first war on drugs, but they restarted it with new rules.
Just like another song asks, “When will they ever learn? “ The flowers aren’t going anywhere.

It’s a wack-a-mole situation since the illegal dispensaries basically act as pop up stores. The owners aren’t on the premises so the only people getting busted are the bud tender employees. LA County needs to pass a law targeting the owners of the buildings. Once you target the owners, they will make sure their property isn’t being used by illegal dispensaries since they will be required to request proof of legal permits (and verify it online with the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation) before renting the property. This isn’t rocket science.

Don’t you realize it’s all about the money. They are trying to make the process work so Jerry can start collecting the revenue like Colorado. Only problem is to many people are looking to exploit the situation and make a fast buck.

California’s economy is now the 5th-biggest in the world, and has overtaken the United Kingdom – New economic data puts the California economy at $2.747 trillion — bigger than most nations. The ranking puts in fifth in the world, just ahead of the United Kingdom, which is on $2.625 trillion.

I could see being more aggressive in shutting down the unlicensed operators if the BCC had things running well, but the system isn’t finished and much of what exists under their rules is just plain broken. Instead of seeing these shops as evidence their work is terribly bad and incomplete, the BCC think shutting the shops down will make people patronize their unprofitable and overpriced house of cards system.

Local control was moronic. A clear majority of us voted to legalize cannabis, but a noisy minority in each town still can and does erect its own local Prohibition laws. I note Massachusetts has learned from our mistake.